dyed wormy maple

[David E Keller]

Here's a little experiment I tried with a 'freebie' piece of maple I got from Isaac Rapelje a few months ago. I used food coloring for the dye 'cause that's what I had... Tried to emphasize the quilt/curl with an accent color. It's about 7 inches across and a little less than 3 tall. Finished with food coloring, BLO, shellac, and then wipe-on gloss poly. I think it has an aquatic feel. As always, comments and criticism welcome!
163004

163003

[Norm Zax]

Lovely aquamarine gem!

[Allen Neighbors]

Beautiful form, and finish looks great, David! Did you streak the green after the blue, or vice-versa?
I've been enjoying some little dying experiments with food coloring, too.
Pretty cool! When you look at it close, it looks sort of like something off of a reef!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice form and a great combination of colors! Really like the aquatic effect!

[David E Keller]

Beautiful form, and finish looks great, David! Did you streak the green after the blue, or vice-versa?
I've been enjoying some little dying experiments with food coloring, too.
Pretty cool! When you look at it close, it looks sort of like something off of a reef!

Actually, I dyed the whole thing blue then sanded it back a bit. The green is actually yellow applied over the areas where the figure was evident. The old blue and yellow make green trick!:cool:

[David DeCristoforo]

That's really wild. Like the worm holes. Like the shape. Like the colors. Like the figure in the wood. So that's pretty much it.

[John Keeton]

David, that is an extremely interesting piece!! I love the effect you have achieved with the food coloring, and the worm holes are a perfect "texture" for that combination. Great piece!

[Roger Chandler]

David,

That is a nice form, and the coloring is very unique. You do nice work! I am surprised that you don't have a pearl on it somewhere :D

All good humor [certainly attempted :o] aside, that is a nice work. I have not done but one piece of wood that had worm holes, and it was only a couple of them, so I turned them away, in my novice days, because I thought they were a defect, and shouldn't be left on the turning. :o Boy, was I wrong, because everyone on this forum seems to celebrate them and make them the prominent feature almost!

Turn some more and color them red, green, yellow, orange and purple, then display your rainbow collection..........you will be a great hit! ;)

[Mark Hubl]

Nice form David. You did very well with the color. Looks great.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a nice looking piece David.

[Bob Bergstrom]

The holes give it a porous coral look. Blues and greens are hard to beat on figured maple

[Steve Vaughan]

That's a cool looking, really neat looking! Question on the food coloring, do you or anyone know how well that does over time as far as fading?

[Mike Cruz]

I think that's cooler than anything!

[David E Keller]

That's a cool looking, really neat looking! Question on the food coloring, do you or anyone know how well that does over time as far as fading?

My understanding is that it does fade, but I don't know how much or how fast. I've done a few pens that are over a year out from finishing, and they look great. Maybe somebody else will have more experience with it.

[Baxter Smith]

That is a very distinctive piece! I hope the color doesn't fade too badly over time. Great shape and wood but the color sets it apart.

[Jon McElwain]

Groovy man!

[Cathy Schaewe]

Absolutely stunning! Wow!!!!

[Michael James]

very nice amigo! Me thinks you paid attention to the Jimmy Clewes approach to dyeing that piece..and as a desert rat Im in awe of anything oceanic aquatic.... super job on all aspects, or major attaboy!:cool:

[Craig D Erickson]

Love the shape and the aurora affect. Reminds me of the northern lights, seems to dance across the piece. Very nice

[John Keeton]

My understanding is that it does fade, but I don't know how much or how fast. I've done a few pens that are over a year out from finishing, and they look great. Maybe somebody else will have more experience with it.David, I think it is going to depend largely on exposure to UV rays. You also may want to periodically rotate the piece if it is displayed in direct sunlight so that any fading would be even.

[Patrick Doody]

Pretty sweet dye job, I love everything about it!!!

[Ken Glass]

David,
Shape is classic and the dye adds a lot to this piece. I expect Auqua-Man to emerge from the opening. LOL. Nice work, Dr. D.

[Tom Collins]

Nice piece David. I think you may have discovered Aquarius!

TomC

[gary Zimmel]

The color of this one I really like..
Real nice job David.

[Sean Hughto]

This one has a great shape. I struggle with the colors though. I think like some people have knee jerk reactions to feet on bowls or the like, I have one for vivid coloration. I take a lot of photos and have played with photoshop. If you've used PS at all, you may have messed with the sliding bar that controls "hue"? It can turn the colors really wild. I think to my mind, this HF looks like it got its hue bar slid. But I keep looking at, and I think it's growing on me!

[William Hutchinson]

I've repeated viewed this piece to reaffirm the first impression. Those colors trigger wonderful emotional recollections and to separate that effect from the turning is difficult. Very nice work.

[David E Keller]

This one has a great shape. I struggle with the colors though. I think like some people have knee jerk reactions to feet on bowls or the like, I have one for vivid coloration. I take a lot of photos and have played with photoshop. If you've used PS at all, you may have messed with the sliding bar that controls "hue"? It can turn the colors really wild. I think to my mind, this HF looks like it got its hue bar slid. But I keep looking at, and I think it's growing on me!

Thanks for the feedback. I agree that the colors are not so subtle, but that was sort of by design. This is really not in my comfort zone which is part of the reason that I did it. I do think I'll try coloring a few more pieces in the future, but I'm a sucker for pretty natural wood.

If you've got something blue/green 'growing' on you, I'd head for the shower.:eek::D

[Mike Spanbauer]

wow, that's striking David. It's bold for sure, but hey - at least I can tell this was still turned on the lathe :) Some of the "newer art" is 99% carving and maybe, at one point it was lathe turned. Bravo!

mike

[Marv Werner]

That's beautiful David!

I'm not a turner per se' but I do have a metal lathe that I also use for simple small wood projects. I like coming in here just to see pictures of the fantastic work you turners do. I'm impressed that you used food coloring. I recondition old saws and customize some of the younger saw handles. You have inspired me to try the food coloring. I have thought about it but felt it might not work well.

I've been quite successful using leather dye, the kind we used to use on our shoes when we were teenagers. I've also used hair dye. Lots and lots of choices there.

Have any of you guys used these dyes?

Thanks,
Marv

[Mike Willeson]

Interesting David. Looks almost UFO like....the green and blue colors compliment the shape well!

[David E Keller]

That's beautiful David!

I'm not a turner per se' but I do have a metal lathe that I also use for simple small wood projects. I like coming in here just to see pictures of the fantastic work you turners do. I'm impressed that you used food coloring. I recondition old saws and customize some of the younger saw handles. You have inspired me to try the food coloring. I have thought about it but felt it might not work well.

I've been quite successful using leather dye, the kind we used to use on our shoes when we were teenagers. I've also used hair dye. Lots and lots of choices there.

Have any of you guys used these dyes?

Thanks,
Marv

Thanks, Marv. You may be better off with RIT dye or transtint. I don't think food coloring is as durable as some of the other choices. Leather dyes work well I'm told, but you're the first I've heard using hair dye. Obviously, there are lots of choices, but I think food coloring is probably not a good first choice. I only used it in this case because it was handy, and I felt like messing around with color.